Aztec, Olmec & Mayan
Treasures
10 days including airfare from
$1,480
Tour
Highlights: Guided
tour of Mexico City, including the National Palace,
Cathedral and Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe
• Guided tour of Teotihuacan pyramids •
Guided visit to La Venta Museum • Guided
excursions to the Mayan pyramids of Palenque,
Uxmal and Chichen Itza • Guided sightseeing
tour of Campeche, including the Mayan Museum at
San Miguel Fort • Visit to the Mayan village
of Santa Elena • Guided tour of Merida,
including a visit to Progreso Beach • Visit
to Cenote Ik-Kil (fresh-water well) • Caribbean
resort of Cancun
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DETAILED
ITINERARY
Day
1. Fly to Mexico
Board your flight to Mexico City. After clearing
customs, you’ll be met by your Tour Director,
who will escort you to your hotel. You’ll
have the rest of the day to unpack, settle in
and begin your explorations of Mexico City.
Day
2. Mexico City – Teotihuacan
Begin your tour at the Zócalo, Mexico’s
City’s main square and former heart of the
Aztec empire. Enter the patio of the National
Palace to see Diego Rivera’s murals, which
chart Mexico’s history. Upon exiting, look
for the Bell of Dolores, once rung to inspire
the Mexican people to fight for their independence.
Also step inside the Metropolitan Cathedral for
a view of the Altar of the Kings. A short drive
outside the city brings you to the Shrine of Our
Lady of Guadalupe, which stands on the site where
a peasant had a vision of the patron saint of
Mexico. You’ll then travel to the Aztec
ruins of Teotihuacan, built more than 2,000 years
ago. Here you can walk along the Avenue of the
Dead and climb the Pyramids of the Sun and Moon.
This evening, join an optional excursion to the
Ballet Folklórico, a dazzling performance
of music and dance.
Day
3. Villahermosa – Palenque
Board a morning flight to Villahermosa, capital
of the state of Tabasco, a rich, fertile region
of Mexico, and once the center of the Olmec civilization;
the first ever civilization in Mesoamerica. Upon
arrival, enjoy an included visit to La Venta Park,
an outdoor museum featuring a fabulous collection
of important Olmec artifacts as well as a zoo
with animals native to southern Mexico. Then journey
to the heart of a thick jungle region of the state
of Chiapas to visit Palenque, the most impressive
and perhaps the most mystical of Mayan archaeological
sites. Marvel at the precision of Mayan architecture
as an expert guide leads you on a sightseeing
tour of these impressive ruins. Climb to the top
of the 90-foot-tall Temple of the Inscriptions,
which is the funerary monument of Pacal, the king
who ruled Palenque for almost 70 years. Also view
the tomb inside the temple, at the foot of a long
staircase. Spend the night in Palenque.
Day
4. Campeche
Today it’s on to Campeche, a charming colonial
town founded by the Spaniards in 1540. Located
along the Gulf of Mexico coast, Campeche is still
surrounded by remains of hefty defensive walls
and fortresses built in the 17th century to protect
it against pirates. On a guided sightseeing, visit
the Cathedral, built from the 16th to the 18th
centuries; the Church of San Francisquito, a wonderfully
lush piece of Mexican Baroque; and the Casa 6,
a gracious old house containing several high-ceilinged
rooms crammed with colonial furniture and paintings.
Also included in your tour is a visit to Fort
San Miguel, home to the Museum of Mayan Culture,
which displays the finest collection of Mayan
artifacts from throughout the state of Campeche.
Tonight, visit the Land Gate bastion and enjoy
a boisterous Sound and Light Show that uses exploding
cannons and actors in costumes to simulate a pirate
attack.
Day
5. Uxmal – Merida
Journey to the Mayan city of Uxmal, considered
one of the masterpieces of pre-Hispanic architecture
in Yucatan. Its name means “thrice built
or occupied”. Your guided sightseeing tour
shows you the most interesting features of this
mysterious site: the oval-shaped Pyramid of the
Magician (allegedly built overnight by a dwarf
borne by a witch) and the Governor’s Palace,
a stunning testament to Mayan architectural sophistication.
You’ll also see the fascinating carved friezes
that adorn the walls of the Nunnery Quadrangle,
called this way because it is similar to a convent.
Continue on to Merida, capital of the Yucatan
state. After checking in to your hotel, you’ll
have a free afternoon to relax or explore the
surroundings.
Day
6. Merida – Progreso Beach
Start your day with a guided sightseeing tour
of Merida. An expert local guide introduces you
to the massive 16th-century St. Ildefonso’s
Cathedral, partially built from the stones of
Mayan temples destroyed by the conquistadores.
You’ll also see the baroque Montejo House
and the Government Palace, with its interior walls
adorned with mural-size paintings depicting Mayan
history. Your tour then continues on to the nearby
Gulf of Mexico port of Progreso, where you’ll
have the chance to take a refreshing swim. The
rest of the afternoon is free to explore Merida
on your own – browse the shops inside the
Public Market for some hand-made dresses, blankets
or the most popular souvenir, hammocks.
Day
7. Chichen Itza – Cenote Ik-Kil
– Cancun
Journey through the Yucatan to the sacred Mayan
city of Chichen Itza. Gaze up at the 365 steps
of the mighty pyramid of El Castillo, which once
served as a giant calendar more accurate than
our own. Your guided tour also features the well-preserved
Ball Court, the Temple of the Warriors and the
astronomical Observatory. After climbing the pyramids,
a pleasant cool freshwater swim awaits you at
Cenote Ik-Kil, a natural pool inside a gigantic
gap carved out by nature over the years. Then
savor Mexico’s fine cuisine in our included
buffet-style lunch at El Xaybeh. Afterwards, journey
to the Caribbean resort of Cancun.
Day
8-9. Free days in Cancun
Beautiful, crystal-clear blue waters and gorgeous
white-sand beaches make up the coast of Cancun,
truly a Caribbean escape. Enjoy two free days
of swimming and basking on the sun-soaked shores
of this warm aquatic resort. Optional activities
to book on your own include snorkeling trips to
Isla Mujeres, fishing, water skiing and swimming
with dolphins at Nizuc Park.
Day
10. Home
Board your flight home. |
